Chaos over SPWC results

Chaos over SPWC results Leaked WhatsApp comments go viral In a WhatsApp group for the Swapo Party Women''s Council, questions have been asked about the legitimacy of the election results. The Swapo Party Women''s Council (SPWC) elections held over the weekend at Keetmanshoop have been mired in controversy with some members unhappy with the outcome, saying it was rigged.

This frustration appears to have been triggered by a delay of over 15 hours; the results that were expected to be announced at 08:00 Saturday morning only saw the light shortly before midnight Saturday evening.

In a leaked conversation on the Swapo Party Women''s Council central committee(cc) WhatsApp group Katrina Hanse-Himarwa bluntly called the weekend''s elections which saw Eunice Iipinge elected as secretary as “clearly rigged results”.

The number linked to Hanse-Himarwa''s name on the group is the same number Namibian Sun has always used to contact her however, when it was called yesterday, it seemingly no longer exists.

On the same thread in the group, Hardap''s governor Esme Isaak enquired whether the central committee results were out “[or] are they still cooking”.

When contacted for comment on her remarks Isaak however declined to say anything. The comments have since gone viral on social media.

A total of 557 delegates participated in the vote to elect the SPWC leadership for the next five years.

Meanwhile, on the same conversation, deputy international relations minister Maureen Hinda said this election will be the end of inclusivity in the council.

“The 37 elected central committee members will be 80% from one tribe, no translation meetings conducted in one new official language. Wait and see that''s the new strategy,” said Hinda.

Hinda also expressed unhappiness with the fact that voters were not allowed to enter voting booths with handbags or notes but were expected to make do with the names on the voting register only.

“I may have had people in mind that I so much wished to vote for but maybe I could not remember their names,” she said.

However, when Namibian Sun contacted her using the same number on the WhatsApp group, Hinda did a 180-degree turnabout and said she did not mean tribe but rather “language group”.

She added that some people are not born Aawambo but have Aawambo surnames by virtue of being married.

“Let me tell you what to do… analyse the names of what you have and see whether this will promote nation-building,” said Hinda and added that “the system did not produce the desired result of inclusivity. I am not saying it was rigged, the problem is the system.”

The congress which took place under the theme ''Embracing 50/50 for prosperity beyond generations'' also saw Windhoek deputy mayor Fransina Kahungua scoop the deputy secretary position with 318 points over 130 for Bernadette Jagger and 105 for Katrina Liswani.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Clara Bohitile scored the highest votes after Iipinge and Kahungu.

Some of the women who failed to make the central committee included Lucia Basson, Margaret Mensah-Williams and Hinda.

It is as yet unknown what the new secretary Eunice Iipinge plans for her tenure at the helm of the women''s council as she could also not be reached for comment.



JEMIMA BEUKES